Today, as technology and global networks transform the world, designers must be versatile, knowledgeable problem solvers. The BFA Integrated Design program develops these capacities, preparing you to work in social, cultural, and ecological fields. Many graduates combine design and entrepreneurship in innovation-focused businesses.

Interdisciplinary Approach

The flexible curriculum gives you opportunities to take courses offered by any program in the School of Design Strategies and throughout Parsons and the rest of the university, allowing you to develop collaborative/cooperative creative practices exploring more than one design discipline. Integrated Design is a self-directed liberal design program, enabling you to tailor your studies according to your academic and career goals. You also have access to The New School’s resources, libraries, and spaces for research and experimentation. In art and design history and theory courses and related studio classes, you acquire essential research, writing, and critical reasoning skills and develop conceptual foundations for a life of creative inquiry.

Pathways

Upon entering the BFA Integrated Design program, you choose a pathway within a designated area of study, completing a total of nine credits to fulfill your pathway requirements. The pathways stem from minors that involve an aspect of making in the studio, which fosters the development of technical or theoretical skills. The pathway informs the direction of your hybrid practice and thesis work. Pathways include Alternative Fashion Strategies, Comics and Graphic Narrative, Communication Design, Creative Coding, Creative Entrepreneurship, Data Visualization, Fashion Communication, Film Production, Fine Arts, Immersive Storytelling, Photography, Printmaking, Social Practice, Sustainable Cities, and Temporary Environments.

Global Collaboration

Learning is based on collaborative and entrepreneurial approaches applied in projects with local and global partners, including the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the United Nations, and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Electives offered at Parsons and throughout The New School broaden your knowledge and interdisciplinary skills.

Student Work

Curriculum

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is awarded for completion of 120 credits as designated by the program. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred from another institution. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and fulfill all requirements in
a timely manner.

Merit Scholarships: All admitted students are considered for merit scholarship awards determined by the strength of their applications. Scholarship awards are included in applicants’ admission decision letters. International students
are eligible only for merit scholarships.

Federal Student Aid: If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, we encourage you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be found at
www.fafsa.gov. The FAFSA is available each year on October 1. The New School’s federal school code is 002780. You do not need to wait for an admission decision to apply
for federal aid. Submit your FAFSA by our FAFSA Priority Deadlines below.

Fall: February 1 Spring: November 1

Application Instructions

All applicants are required to apply online using the
Common Application. Save your work frequently and print a copy for your records. You must complete all required fields and uploads prior to submission.

Any additional supporting documents that need to be sent by mail must include an
Application Materials Cover Sheet. All supporting materials must be received before your application can be reviewed.

See below for additional information regarding submission of transcripts and recommendations.

In addition to submitting the Common Application, you are required to submit the portfolio and Parsons Challenge through SlideRoom.

Finalize your portfolio and Parsons Challenge at the time you submit your application. Doing this will help prevent any delays in reviewing your application, as we need to receive all required materials before we can place your application under
review.

Once you have submitted the required SlideRoom materials, a confirmation number will be emailed to you. Save this number for your records.

Required Application Materials

Application Form: Complete the Common Application. All applicants are required to apply online.

Application Fee: Application Fee Application fees are $50 for U.S. domestic applicants, and $75 for international applicants. Application fees are paid through the Common App and are non-refundable. There is also a $10 SlideRoom
fee.

Official Transcripts:All applicants must provide official high school and/or college transcripts. If you are currently in school, submit transcripts for all coursework taken to date. Applicants who have attended multiple high schools may submit only the graduating
school’s official transcript as long as courses taken at previous schools are reflected on that transcript.

Transfer Applicants: Transfer applicants who have completed fewer than 24 college credits (on a semester system) must submit high school transcript(s) in addition to college transcripts. Students who have completed
any college coursework must apply as transfer students, regardless of whether they plan to apply those credits to their studies at Parsons. Applicants are required to report and submit transcripts for all colleges and universities attended.
The Fashion Design Program does not accept junior transfers.

By Mail: Official transcripts should have an original signature or a raised university seal, and must be in a sealed envelope that has been signed or stamped by the issuing university’s registrar or records office.
Applicants can either send official transcripts with an
Application Materials Cover Sheet or request that institutions send transcripts directly to The New School. See
“Mailing Address for Supplemental Materials” for our mailing address in the Additional Instructions and Information section below.

Electronic Transcripts (U.S./Domestic Institutions Only): The New School accepts electronic transcripts only from our approved vendors. The New School’s approved vendors, in order of preference, are

Naviance

Parchment Exchange

SCRIP-SAFE International

National Student Clearinghouse

We do not accept electronic transcripts sent directly by a student or school offices. Note: All international academic credentials must be submitted as indicated in the International Academic Credentials sections below.

High School Equivalency: For GED, TASC, and HiSET, send official test score results by postal mail.

Homeschooling: Homeschool applicants must provide the equivalent of a high school transcript with course or subject titles, duration of study for each title, content of study for each title, and an assessment
of performance or “grade” at the time of application. Preferably, the courses completed at home are part of a curriculum developed and evaluated by a nationally recognized diploma-granting organization or agency. Review the Test Scores and Additional Information and Instructions for Homeschool Applicants sections below for standardized test requirements and more information.

International Academic Credentials: All transcripts not written in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

International Academic Credentials with Transfer Credits: Applicants who attended postsecondary institutions outside of the United States are required to have their transcript(s) evaluated by
World Education Services (WES) or by another member of the
National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). A course-by-course evaluation must be prepared for each transcript. In the absence of an evaluation, the Admission
Committee will do its best to render a decision. Please note: In some cases, a review cannot be made without an evaluation, and a committee decision will be delayed.

If using WES, visit
www.wes.org for instructions and to begin the application process. The “Required Documents” section will explain what to send. If you request your report online, search for “The
New School” when selecting our institution. WES will send your completed evaluation directly to The New School.

If using another NACES provider, follow instructions for that provider. Mailed evaluations and translations should be sent to the mailing address provided for supporting materials. Applicants forwarding these sealed documents should include
an
Application Materials Cover Sheet.

International University Preparatory Curriculum: The New School welcomes applications from students from all over the world. In order to be competitive for admission, applicants must pursue their country’s university preparatory curriculum. For example:

If applying from an educational system that follows the UK model, we require either completed or predicted A levels from three subjects at the time of application

If applying from an education system that follows the Indian curriculum, we require completed or predicted Standard XII (HSC) results at the time of application

Students with questions about their curriculum as it relates to admissibility to The New School may email admission@newschool.edu.

Parsons Challenge: Create a new visual work inspired by the theme within a piece submitted in your portfolio. Support your process by writing one 500 word essay describing how your ideas developed. You may also submit up to two
additional visual pieces that document your process. All forms of media are acceptable—drawing, video, photography, sculpture, 3D work, collage, and digital images. The Parsons Challenge helps the Admission Committee understand how a prospective
student develops ideas, visually communicates those ideas, and defends the work in writing. The Parsons Challenge is completed in
SlideRoom along with the portfolio.

Portfolio: The portfolio must be completed in
SlideRoom only. Freshman and transfer applicants must submit a portfolio of eight to 12 images. Portfolios can include a range of media such as drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion
design, animation, performance, graphic design, or sketchbook pages. We encourage you to show experimentation and breadth, and the portfolio does not need to specifically address the major to which you are applying.

Essay: The New School brings together a dynamic group of students interested in art, design, performing arts, entrepreneurship and critical thought. We would like to know more about your interest in joining our community and why you would
be a good fit for The New School. We are particularly interested in knowing why you have applied to a specific school, college, program, area of study, or campus.

Test Scores:SAT and ACT: The New School does not require submission of SAT or ACT scores for applications to be considered complete. Should you feel your SAT or ACT test scores are beneficial to your application, you may
submit them for our consideration. Homeschool applicants must submit standardized test scores from either the SAT or the ACT. Homeschool applicants may submit two standardized subject test results in lieu of the SAT. The SAT institution code
is 2638. The ACT code is 2854.

TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE: All applicants whose first language is not English must submit valid TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. The minimum score required for TOEFL (IB) is 92, for IELTS is 7.0, and for PTE is 63. Our
TOEFL institution code is 2638.

The New School does not require TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores for applicants:

Who have attended a secondary school for a minimum of three years where English is the primary language of instruction

Who have successfully completed two full semesters of non-ESL college-level expository writing

Who have earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college/university or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction (minimum of three years attendance)

Upon review of your application the Office of Admission may require you to submit an English Language Proficiency test score to further evaluate your candidacy.

Arrange for the testing service to send your test scores directly to The New School using the institution codes listed above. We accept scores from the past two years. If your scores are older, you must retake the test. For more information,
visit
TOEFL,
IELTS, or
PTE.

Applicants also have the option of enrolling in The New School English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Students must pass Level 6 to waive the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE requirement. Visit the
ESL website for more information. Please note, all admitted students whose Native Language is not English will be required to
take the internal English Placement Exam prior to attending classes. This step has been implemented to ensure submitted tests scores reflect students' current English fluency and to ensure that all students are prepared to take on the rigorous
Parsons Curriculum.

Letter of Recommendation: Applicants applying directly from high school must submit the Common Application School Report, one counselor recommendation and one recommendation from a teacher. Students transferring from other colleges
or universities must submit one recommendation from a professor with whom they have studied. Recommenders can submit recommendations online; instructions are included with the online application. If preferred, the recommendation form can instead
be sent by mail in a signed, sealed envelope. To send by mail, download the PDF recommendation form found in the online application, complete the personal information, save the form, and forward it to the recommender for completion and submission.
Applicants can also send signed and sealed recommendations to the Office of Admission using an
Application Materials Cover Sheet.

Additional Information and Instructions

Applying to More Than One Program: In any given term, a student can apply to only one department or program within The New School. Applicants who file more than one application in a given semester will be required to withdraw
one of the applications, and application fees will not be refunded.

Application Materials: All materials submitted in association with The New School application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

Advanced-Level Credit: AP, IB, and A-Level Courses: Accepted applicants will receive further instructions later in the process regarding AP, IB, and A-Level scores.

Application Status: Applications become complete and ready for review once all required items have been received by the Office of Admission. You can check your application status online at the
Admission Hub.

Allow at least 14 days from the date you submitted your application for items to be matched and shown as received on the Hub. Applicants are responsible for following up with schools and recommenders to confirm that items have been sent.

The Office of Admission will periodically notify applicants by email if their file is missing any documents and again when their file is complete for review. These notifications are sent to the email address provided in the online application.

Interviews: Interviews are not required. Applicants with questions about Parsons or the admission process are encouraged to attend an information session. Please review the
Admission Calendar for dates and times.

Homeschool Applicants: The New School welcomes applications from homeschool students. The Admission Committee does not require advanced preparation in every academic area, but applicants should demonstrate substantial work in
English, history, social studies, foreign language, mathematics, and science. Review the Test Scores and Official Transcripts sections above for standardized test and transcript requirements. Upon completion of the homeschool curriculum students
must provide proof of high school graduation or an equivalent. We will accept an official transcript from a state homeschool association or sponsoring public high school; GED, TASC, or HiSET exam results; individual homeschool transcripts
with date of completion; and certificates of completion recognized by local homeschool associations.

Readmission: The Application for Readmission should be completed by students who wish to return after an absence of four semesters (fall and spring). If you would like to
apply for readmission, review the readmission deadlines and requirements in the Readmission section
of our
How to Apply information. If you have enrolled at another institution since you were enrolled
at The New School, you should apply for admission as a transfer student according to the instructions outlined above.

Internal Transfers: The Internal Transfer Application is required for all current New School students who wish to transfer from one New School college to another. If you would like to
apply as an internal applicant, review the deadlines and requirements in the Undergraduate Internal
Transfer Policy section of our
How to Apply information. Students who wish to change departments or majors within the same college
should speak to their academic advisor.